Ron Paul: Heterosexuals in military 'causing more trouble than the gays'

Ron Paul said heterosexuals in the military were "causing more trouble than the gays" in explaining his support for the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell" during an interview with the Iowa State Daily.

Paul was arguing that heterosexual relationships in the military were equally disruptive, and, due to the larger proportion of heterosexual soldiers, more likely to occur.

ADVERTISEMENT

"Well, like I said, everybody has the same rights as everybody else, so homosexuals in the military isn’t a problem," Paul said. "It’s only if they’re doing things they shouldn’t be, if they’re disruptive. But there’s … men and women getting into trouble with each other too. And there’s a lot more heterosexuals in the military, so logically they’re causing more trouble than gays. So yes, you just have the same rules for everybody and treat them all the same.”

Paul had originally favored keeping the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, but decided in 2010 to switch his vote and support repeal. Then he explained his shift as one based in economics, and again reiterated that both hetero- and homosexual service members had the potential to be "disruptive."

"I have received several calls and visits from constituents who, in spite of the heavy investment in their training, have been forced out of the military simply because they were discovered to be homosexual," Paul said to The Washington Post. "To me, this seems like an awful waste. Personal behavior that is disruptive should be subject to military discipline regardless of whether the individual is heterosexual or homosexual. But to discharge an otherwise well-trained, professional and highly skilled member of the military for these reasons is unfortunate and makes no financial sense."

Paul also touched on gay marriage during his interview with the Daily, saying that the federal government should have "no say" in whether gay couples are allowed to marry. Paul has previously signaled his support for the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that allows local governments not to recognize gay marriages from other states.

“The government has no business in your private life, you know, so if one person is allowed to do something, so should everyone else," Paul said. "The whole gay marriage issue is a private affair, and the federal government has no say.”